kennedy harvard essay

How to Apply

Important dates.

Admission Application Deadline: December 3, 2024 at 11: 59 a.m. ET

Financial Aid Application Deadline: January 2025

Decision Notification: Mid-March 2025

Office of Admissions & Financial Aid 124 Mount Auburn Street Suite 165-South Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

The application for the 2025-2026 academic year is now available.

All applications and required materials must be submitted by Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. ET. There is one admission application deadline and one start date for each degree program per year. You may apply to only one master’s degree program per admissions cycle.

What We Look For

We consider the following attributes when evaluating applications for admission:

Strong academic achievement and intellectual distinction
Leadership capabilities and personal character
Quantitative proficiency
Commitment to public service
Diverse experiences and backgrounds

We receive more qualified applicants than we are able to admit. The Admissions Committee reviews and carefully considers all submitted applications. The strongest applicants are admitted to our programs each year.

Degree Program Prerequisites

Some of our degree programs have specific academic and professional prerequisites that you must meet either before or while you are applying to HKS.

Master in Public Policy

Bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record
Evidence of quantitative proficiency, regardless of your undergraduate major. This includes success in undergraduate-level economics, statistics, or calculus courses.
Work experience is preferred but not required. Incoming MPP students typically have 2-3 years of professional work experience.

Master in Public Administration in International Development

Bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record. This includes strong grades in economics and mathematics courses.
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Calculus through multivariable calculus (usually part of a three-course college sequence)
Work experience is not required but is preferred. Most students admitted to the MPA/ID Program have two or more years of development-related work.

*Applicants may satisfy some of these prerequisites after submitting their application. Requirements must be complete before the program starts. Statistics and linear algebra courses are desirable but not required.

Master in Public Administration

A bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record
Three years of professional work experience by September 1 of the year you would enroll in the program
Financial management
International business
International development
Mathematics
Physical science involving math (chemistry of physics, for example)
Politics and advocacy
Quantitative analysis and statistics
Master of Business Administration
Master of International Business
Master of International Development
Master of International Economics
Master of Science in Engineering

* Courses cannot have counted towards your undergraduate degree.

Mid-Career Master in Public Administration

At least seven years of professional work experience by June 30 of the year you plan to enroll in the program

Public Leadership Credential (PLC) Pathway Applicants

Applicants to the MC/MPA Program through the PLC Pathway must earn the Public Leadership Credential—which includes successful completion of all six courses plus the final capstone assessment—before submitting an application for admission. PLC Pathway applicants must also apply to and enroll in the MC/MPA Program during the admission cycle that immediately follows the PLC capstone experience.

MC/MPA Mason Program Applicants

Applicants to the MC/MPA Edward S. Mason Program typically hold primary citizenship from one of these countries, territories, non-self-governing states, cities, or areas . We recognize, however, some applicants who have spent the majority of their academic and/or professional lives in countries with industrialized economies do not feel the MC/MPA Edward S. Mason Program fits their individual background. Therefore, applicants who are eligible to apply as an MC/MPA Mason Fellow may choose to opt-out of consideration for its co-curricular programming.

Which HKS master’s degree program is the right fit?

Prospective applicants should keep in mind that it is only possible to apply to one master’s program per application cycle, so determining the right program for you is important from the beginning of the application process.

Application Components

Applicants to our master’s degree programs must submit an online application and the following supporting materials.

GRE or GMAT

Our GRE and GMAT test score requirements vary by program.

Master in Public Policy (MPP)

GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply to the MPP Program. However, this requirement can be waived if you have earned grades of B+ (or equivalent) or better in intermediate economics and statistics (and/or calculus). These courses must have been full-semester courses taken for credit at a regionally accredited higher education institution. Courses taken as pass/fail (including those taken as satisfactory/unsatisfactory) will not be considered. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), certifications, and other non-credit options will not be considered.

Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID)

GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply to the MPA/ID Program. In general, you are most competitive for admission if your quantitative section score is 160 or above on the GRE, or 48 or above on the GMAT.

Master in Public Administration (MPA)

GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply to the MPA Program. However, this requirement can be waived if you have earned grades of B+ (or equivalent) or better in two college-level courses in economics, statistics, and/or mathematics (algebra or higher). These courses must have been full-semester courses taken for credit at a regionally accredited higher education institution. Courses taken as pass/fail (including those taken as satisfactory/unsatisfactory) will not be considered. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), certifications, and other non-credit options will not be considered.

Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA)

GRE or GMAT scores are not required to apply to the Mid-Career MPA Program. You may choose to submit GRE or GMAT scores for consideration in the application process, but this is optional. 

MPP/MPA Waiver Instructions

If you are applying to HKS to begin your studies in fall 2025, you will indicate whether you wish to submit standardized test scores or take advantage of the waiver opportunity. Should you choose the waiver option, you will be prompted to list the classes that meet the requirements outlined above, and you will need to provide a transcript showing the courses taken and grades earned.

Test Information and Logistics

You may self-report your test scores for the purposes of submitting your application; however, official, valid scores on all required standardized tests must be received by the application deadline. We strongly recommend that you take all required exams no later than one month prior to the application deadline to account for any processing delays. If official scores are not received by HKS Admissions & Financial Aid by the application deadline, your application will be marked as incomplete, your file will be closed, and your application fee will not be refunded. Late and/or invalid scores will not be accepted. GRE and GMAT scores are valid for five years as of the application deadline.

Please make sure to select Harvard Kennedy School as a score recipient when taking the test.

Use code 3454 when registering for the GRE. We are listed as “Harvard U JFK Sch Govt.” Harvard Kennedy School does not have a department code.
Our GMAT code is HRL-27-69.

All of our master’s degree programs require that you submit at least four essays, which vary by program.

MPP Program

JFK Essay: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your public leadership and service. (500 word limit)
MPP Essay: The MPP curriculum is designed to broaden students’ perspective and sharpen skills necessary for a successful career in public service through a rigorous set of courses that draw on the social sciences but are adapted for action. Please describe how the MPP curriculum at HKS would leverage your distinctive abilities and/or fill gaps in your skill set as you equip yourself to achieve your career goals. (500 word limit)
Personal History Essay: Harvard Kennedy School believes that academic excellence and personal growth rely on engaging with varied perspectives, embracing our unique differences, and relishing healthy debate. Please share how you would contribute to the vibrant and diverse learning environment that is HKS. (250 word limit)
Adversity Essay: Describe a time when you faced adversity or a significant challenge to achieving your goals, and how navigating through this shaped your educational or career trajectory. (250 word limit)
Perspectives Essay: Describe a time when interactions with others and/or an experience caused you to change your mind or expanded your point of view. (250 word limit)

MPA/ID Program

International Development Essay: Discuss your decision to choose international development as your professional career. Also, explain how developing your analytic skills relates to your career in development. (750 word limit)
Leadership Experience Essay: Describe an event or experience in which you exercised a significant decision-making, management, or leadership role. (750 word limit)
Public Policy Essay: Describe a public policy or public management problem related to international development and analyze a range of solutions. (750 word limit)

MPA Program

JFK Essay: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your public leadership and service. (500 word limit)
Two-Year MPA Essay: There are many pathways one can pursue in order to make a difference in the world. Why is the MPA Program at HKS an appropriate pathway to achieving your goals? (500 word limit)
Personal History Essay : Harvard Kennedy School believes that academic excellence and personal growth rely on engaging with varied perspectives, embracing our unique differences, and relishing healthy debate. Please share how you would contribute to the vibrant and diverse learning environment that is HKS. (250 word limit)
Adversity Essay : Describe a time when you faced adversity or a significant challenge to achieving your goals, and how navigating through this shaped your educational or career trajectory. (250 word limit)
Perspectives Essay : Describe a time when interactions with others and/or an experience caused you to change your mind or expanded your point of view. (250 word limit)

MC/MPA Program

Career Goals Essay: Submit a statement that discusses your career goals, as well as the factors that led you to select the Mid-Career MPA program as a means of furthering your personal and professional goals. Be as specific as possible in describing how your expected course of study will enable you to build on your prior professional experience and achieve those goals. (500 word limit)
Professional Contribution Essay: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee how you have created positive change thus far in your most substantial professional leadership and/or public service role. (500 word limit)

Joint and Concurrent Degree Applicants

In addition to the program-specific essays, applicants to joint or concurrent degree programs must also respond to the following essay prompt: Harvard Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership across the United States and around the world, so people can lead safer, freer, and more prosperous lives. How will a joint/concurrent degree enhance your pursuit of this mission? (400 word limit)

Optional Statement

If you have any concerns about your prior academic, professional, or personal background that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, you may submit an explanation. (250 word limit)

A résumé is required of all applicants. This document should highlight:

Employment history, including titles and dates (months and years) for each position, job responsibilities, reason for any gaps in employment history
Academic degrees, achievements, and honors
Volunteer, public service, and political work
Recent leadership experiences
Extracurricular activities (months and years) and interests

Letters of Recommendation

You are required to submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who know you and are familiar with your work. Additional letters will not be accepted.

You will input the names and email addresses of your recommenders in your online application. They will each receive an email with instructions on how to submit their recommendation. Your recommenders will also be asked to fill out a form that rates you in a number of areas, including intellectual ability, leadership, and problem-solving orientation. Recommendations must be submitted online and written in English.

Who to Select

If you are an undergraduate or have less than two years of work experience, we encourage you to submit two letters of recommendation from university faculty members and the third from your immediate supervisor from a professional work environment or internship.

If you have more than two years of work experience, two of your three letters of recommendation should be from current or previous work colleagues, including a supervisor. We also encourage you to submit an academic reference, if possible.

We understand you may not be able to submit recommendations from college professors if you are applying to the Mid-Career MPA Program . In this case, you should have colleagues or supervisors who can evaluate your ability to succeed in a rigorous academic environment write your letters of recommendation.

Academic Transcripts

We require submission of transcripts for all colleges and universities you have attended and earned academic credit. This includes institutions where you may have taken courses but did not receive a degree.

Applicants have two options for submitting academic transcripts:

You may scan and upload unofficial copies of your transcripts directly to your application for admission. (Recommended)
You may request that your college or university send official transcripts directly to our office.

Please see “Official Documents” below for more information.

Your transcripts must include the following:

All courses attended and grades received
Proof of degree conferral
Date of degree conferral
Grading policy and scale

If you are currently enrolled in classes or a degree-granting program, we need proof of enrollment that includes a list of your current classes, even if grades are not yet available.

If you transferred universities or studies abroad, you will only need to submit separate transcripts for study abroad programs and transfer classes if your home institution did not report your grades, courses, and dates of attendance.

Do not provide transcripts for professional training, executive education, language programs, secondary schools, Gymnasiums, lycées, or certificate programs that did not earn you college or university credit. Do not list these institutions or programs in your application.

If you participated in the Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship Program , you must submit a copy of your program evaluation in the “Education” section of your application.

Non-English Transcripts

Transcripts and diplomas in languages other than English must be translated by your issuing institution or a certified translation service. We must receive the original and translated versions. We accept transcripts through any NACES evaluation agency. We do not have a preferred translation service, but often recommend World Education Services and SpanTran . You are not required to submit a credential evaluation, but we strongly encourage you to do so if your transcript is in a language other than English.

Official Documents

All transcripts uploaded to your application for admission are considered unofficial. You do not need to request official transcripts for the purposes of applying to HKS.

If you are admitted and decide to enroll at HKS, you must then provide official copies of your transcripts and degree conferrals if you received a degree. You must have your issuing institution send the transcript, degree conferral, and translation (if necessary) directly to our admissions office. If you enroll but do not submit your official documents by the deadline in your admissions letter, you cannot enroll in classes until we receive all of your official documents. Due to long processing times, we recommend requesting official documents from your institution(s) at least one month in advance.

English Proficiency Testing

Non-native English speakers who did not earn an undergraduate degree conducted in English must submit proof of English language proficiency.

If you earned an undergraduate degree conducted entirely in English, you do not need to submit proof of English language proficiency, regardless of your native language. We may ask you to submit proof from your university that your entire undergraduate degree was conducted in English. If you transferred from a non-English speaking undergraduate institution to an English-speaking undergraduate institution, you must submit test scores. An advanced degree such as a master’s or doctorate from a U.S. institution or an institution where English is the language of instruction does not fulfill the English proficiency testing requirement.

Accepted Tests

We accept the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS, academic test only), or Cambridge English exam. We do not accept MyBest TM TOEFL, TOEFL Institutional Testing Program, IELTS General Training, or IELTS Indicator scores. You may be asked to submit additional information to demonstrate your English language proficiency before being offered admission.

Required Scores

The following minimum test scores must be met in a single test sitting:

100 on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT) either in-person or on the Home Edition. The most competitive applicants will also have a minimum of 25 on each sub-section.
7 overall band score on the IELTS. The most competitive applicants will also have a minimum of 7 on each section.
185 on Level C1 or Level C2 proficiency on the Cambridge English. The most competitive applicants will also have a minimum of 185 on each section.

You may self-report your test scores for the purposes of submitting your application; however, official, valid scores on all required standardized tests must be received by the application deadline. We strongly recommend that you take all required exams no later than one month prior to the application deadline to account for any processing delays. If official scores are not received by the application deadline, your application will be marked as incomplete, your file will be closed, and your application fee will not be refunded. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years as of the application deadline.

Use code 3454 when registering for the TOEFL. We are listed as “Harvard U JFK Sch Govt.” If prompted for a department code when registering for the TOEFL, our preferred code is 99.
There is no code for the IELTS; list “Harvard Kennedy School” when taking the test.

Application Fee

Our application fee is $100 USD and may be paid by credit card, check, or money order. Checks and money orders must be in U.S. dollars, made payable to Harvard University, and mailed to the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid. We strongly encourage you to pay online.

The fee cannot be refunded if you submit an incomplete application.

Fee Waivers

The application fee may be waived for participants or alumni of certain programs, as well as applicants who require a waiver in order to apply. If you are affiliated with one of the programs below or need a fee waiver for any reason, you should submit a fee waiver form found on the application status page after you submit your application.

Special Program Affiliation

Application fee waivers are available to applicants who are affiliated with the following special programs:

AmeriCorps (current volunteers only)
Crown Prince Frederick Fellows
Kennedy Trust Fellows
Payne International Development Fellows
Peace Corps Volunteers (current volunteers only)
Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellows
PPIA Fellows
PPLC Alumni
Rangel Foreign Affairs Fellows
Teach for America (currently serving)
U.S. Air Force Officers
U.S. Coast Guard Officers

Please keep in mind that receiving a fee waiver does not guarantee your ability to receive financial assistance to attend HKS. Review our financial aid website for detailed information on the funding opportunities available through HKS and outside entities.

Updates to our standardized test policy

Starting with this application cycle, MPP and MPA applicants who have successfully completed certain quantitative coursework can waive the GRE/GMAT requirement. Learn more about this new policy on the Admissions & Financial Aid Blog.

Learn More About the Application Process

Admissions & financial aid blog.

Our blog is a go-to resource for applying to our master’s degree programs and learning about life at HKS.

Admissions Events

There are a number of ways for you to engage with members of the Kennedy School community and learn more about the application process.

Additional Application Information and Disclosures

Reapplying to hks, previous applicants.

If you applied to one of our master’s programs in the past, you are welcome to reapply for admission. You may apply to a single HKS degree program up to three times. To reapply, you will need to submit a new online application, the $100 USD application fee, and new essays.

If you applied within the last three years, you may reuse the following documents:

Academic transcripts
Official test scores (GRE and GMAT scores are valid for five years; TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years)
Letters of recommendation (we advise you to replace or update at least one letter of recommendation)

Harvard Kennedy School Alumni

If you previously earned a degree from HKS, you may apply to another program, provided the second degree you would earn differs from your first degree. For example, you could apply to the Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) Program after earning a Master in Public Policy (MPP) or Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID), but you would not be eligible to apply to the MC/MPA Program after earning a Master in Public Administration (MPA).

You will need to submit a new online application, application fee, essays, and all other required supporting documentation. We advise you to explain in your application why returning to HKS will advance your academic and/or professional goals. Applicants who have previously earned an HKS degree will not be eligible for institutional financial assistance.

Extenuating Circumstances

We recognize that extreme, extenuating circumstances may impact an applicant's ability to complete an application and/or submit required documents by the application deadline. Examples of such circumstances may include the direct impact of war, prolonged natural disasters, or other extreme and life-altering events. Candidates who wish to request an exception must do so in writing prior to the application deadline. All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a decision will be given to the applicant as quickly as possible.

Consent Regarding Sensitive Personal Data

During the application process, you and others, such as recommenders, may provide Harvard Kennedy School with certain kinds of personal data about you that some laws regard as sensitive and deserving of special protection (“Sensitive Personal Data”). For example, in Europe, Sensitive Personal Data can include personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership; genetic or biometric data; data concerning health; data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation; and personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences. You can find further information about how Harvard Kennedy School uses personal data of individuals in Europe in the admissions process here .

By submitting an application, you consent to Harvard’s processing Sensitive Personal Data about you in order to evaluate your application for admission and your eligibility for financial aid, if applicable. Sensitive Personal Data about you also may be processed for other purposes permitted by applicable law.

Get to Know the Harvard Kennedy School Community

Master’s programs, student life, student stories.

If you are interested in applying to our doctoral programs, learn more here . 

We are currently accepting applications for our master’s degree programs for the 2025-2026 academic year.

People are dunking on JFK's half-assed Harvard admission essay in the wake of the Supreme Court axing affirmative action

The Supreme Court ruled to overturn race-based affirmative action on Thursday.
After the ruling, many focused on John F. Kennedy's underwhelming 1935 Harvard admission essay.
People painted Kennedy as a classic legacy admission — a system that exists in some form today.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action , the essay John F. Kennedy wrote in 1935 emerged online as a topic of discussion — and derision.

The essay, which was first published by The Washington Post in 2013, reappeared on social media on Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action in college admissions was unconstitutional.

Affirmative action — giving additional weight to applicants from disadvantaged demographics — had been upheld for four decades and helped minority groups access elite institutions like Harvard.

When Kennedy applied there, aged 17, the process was nowhere near as rigorous, with an application form just three pages long, per The Post.

Kennedy did not appear to be trying very hard to impress the school, other than name-dropping his rich father.

"The reasons that I have for wishing to go to Harvard are several. I feel that Harvard can give me a better background and a better liberal education than any other university," the essay read.

"I have always wanted to go there, as I have felt that it is not just another college, but is a university with something definite to offer. Then too, I would like to go to the same college as my father. To be a 'Harvard man' is an enviable distinction and one that I sincerely hope I shall attain," it added. That was it.

—Rebecca Brenner Graham, PhD (@TheOtherRBG) June 29, 2023

The short essay shocked people on social media, who pointed out that the mention of Kennedy's father — a wealthy businessman who graduated from Harvard in 1912 — was most likely what got him into the Ivy League.

One person jokingly tweeted : "Getting into Harvard: 1) be a person of color in the top 20 of every student in America, with SATs and recommendation from a state senator. 2) have Robert Kennedy be your dad, write something about being a Harvard man on a cocktail napkin, and transcribe it to your application."

Although Kennedy's example was extreme and unlikely to cut muster today, US colleges do explicitly favor applicants whose parents went there, via the legacy system.

Why Is JFK's Harvard Admissions Essay Going Viral?

Social media users are discovering President John F. Kennedy's "underwhelming" Harvard application.

After John F. Kennedy's grandson Jack Kennedy Schlossberg graduated with a dual degree from Harvard , JFK's own Harvard admissions essay went viral. The 35th president of the United States graduated from Harvard in 1940, and his admissions essay looks a lot different than essays today.

In one tweet from February 7, a UCLA PhD student tweeted JFK's Harvard application essay with a simple screenshot and the text "YALL IM CRYING PLEASE LOOK AT THIS!!!" The tweet has nearly 70,000 likes and 8,000 retweets.

Many users point out how underwhelming the essay is, others suggest that the line that got him accepted was the mention of his father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who graduated from Harvard in 1912.

It reads the essay full:

The reasons that I have for wishing to go to Harvard are several. I feel that Harvard can give me a better background and a better liberal education than any other university. I have always wanted to go there, as I have felt that it is not just another college, but is a university with something definite to offer. Then too, I would like to go to the same college as my father. To be a "Harvard man" is an enviable distinction, and one that I sincerely hope I shall attain.

It's only five sentences long, and as many pointed out on Twitter, it doesn't really say much. Yet, the essay worked—he got in, started in fall of 1936, and graduated cum laude in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts in government.

john f kennedy's harvard yearbook photograph and summary of activities

Harvard admissions has become extremely competitive in the years since JFK applied; the acceptance rate fell to 3.43 percent in 2021. Yet, according to the Harvard Crimson , "Between 2014 and 2019, the acceptance rate for legacies, 33 percent, dwarfed Harvard’s overall acceptance rate of only 6 percent."

JFK's own children and grandchildren attended Harvard: his daughter, Caroline Kennedy graduated from undergrad in 1980, and granddaughter, Rose Kennedy Schlossberg, graduated in 2010. Jack Kennedy Schlossberg didn't attend for undergrad, opting to go to Yale University instead, but he recently graduated with dual degrees from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School.

It's not just Twitter where JFK's essay is going viral; on TikTok, law student Rashid Eldoma analyzes the essay:

Musician Jordan Kahan, who goes by Boxout, also responded to the essay on the platform joking that it "basically boils down to 'Harvard's pretty cool, also my dad went here, so let me in please."

This isn't the first time the essay has gone viral. It surfaces every few years, in part thanks to the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum's digitized version.

preview for 10 Beauty Lessons We Learned From Jackie Kennedy

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.